Further Down the Road
by Princess Zombie
Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his much younger boyfriend. M Ratng: Chapter 5, Chapter 7. Epilogue Posted!
1. Fear

1Title: Further Down the Road (1/?)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): PG

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Minor students in John's Shakespeare class and at the mansion are either kids I go to school with or are made up by me. Quotes from 'The Merchant of Venice' and other respective mentions of the play belong to Shakespeare.

--

"_Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. I am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me, for I am much ashamed of my exchange. But love is blind, and lovers cannot see the petty follies that themselves commit, for if they could, Cupid himself would blush to see me thus transformed to a boy_. Now, in current society, when would you use the term 'love is blind?'" St. John Allerdyce asked as he slowly paced the classroom. He was holding a book in his left hand, and lowered it to scan his small crowd of students, seated in a circle that they had made with their desks. He gestured to a tall boy with reddish brown hair, "Damien?"

"If I was dating someone others wouldn't find attractive."

"Right, however that's not the way Jessica meant it." Piped up the teen girl next to him; she had chin-length black hair that was shorter in the back and black framed glasses.

"I know that, I was getting to it." Growled Damien, smiling nonetheless.

"Stop your lover's quarrel, you two." Yet another girl, to the first girl's left.

"Shut up, Katieface." Said the first girl, scowling and shaking her head, then turned back to Damien. "Because, Damien, if she meant it that way, I'd be saying it all the time." She laughed.

"Hey!" Damien squeaked, pouting.

"She meant it relating to the fact that she was dressed like a boy. She said, _The petty follies that themselves commit, for if they could, Cupid himself would blush to see me thus transformed to a boy. _The petty follies meaning small stupid errors they make. Her error being that she was dressed in drag. Therefore, since she is in love, she can't see how bad her errors are, including stealing money from her father and running of to elope."

"Good, you guys are keeping up well." John smiled, "Lets move on to act three, scene one, starting at line forty-five. I need one reader for Shylock... alright, Jess, I'll read for Salerio; _Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, that thou wilt not take his flesh. What's that good for?_"

"_To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge_." Spoke the young dark-skinned girl. She was cheerful looking and seemed to enjoy her reading. "_He hath disgraced me, and hind'red me half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my_–" She was cut off when the classroom door was opened and everyone turned to look,

"Can I help you?" John piped up from the seat he had taken at the far side of the circle. He stood and smiled, walking around the circle to the door, "Mr. Seaman? Is something wrong?" He asked the school's principal.

"There's going to be an emergency faculty meeting. Next mod all students are to take a seat in the auditorium. You need to escort your first mod class there, and then come to the stage. There's no assigned seating, but we won't be using the balcony. The short balding man spoke in hushed tones as the students began to talk amongst themselves.

"The whole student body can't sit in the auditorium."

"It doesn't matter, the whole faculty needs to meet, and we have to keep the students in view."

"Alright, good luck." John said, waving at the principal as he left, then returned to his class. "Go on, Jessica."

"_Mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains ,cooled my friends, heated mine enemies– and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes?_..."

--

John was stressing. This was definitely not normal, and as he looked around for his eight students, he noticed they had all quietly ast themselves in the back corner of the auditorium and were chattering happily. Suddenly he remembered why his Shakespearean Literature class was his favorite. He headed down the sloped auditorium aisle and hopped on stage, his hands fidgeting in absence of the lighter: a habit he had never kicked.

"Johnny!" John spun around, fiddling with a pen he had fished out of his pocket,

"Hey, June." it was his teaching assistant for mods three and four. She was a senior in FEA that he had met the year before after finding out she was a mutant when she figured out she had powers in the middle of his class. She could enchant inanimate objects, and he always laughed at her when she did because it reminded him of the movie 'Fantasia'. She looked a little shaken. "What's wrong?"

"I heard from Nick who herd from Jackie who heard from Mrs. Pyzik that there was another shooting." She said, looking at him, and he could see the slight panic in her eyes. A shooting, john knew what she meant. It wasn't a school shooting, but recently, in the area, there had been a series of mutant shootings, and they were gradually getting closer to the town of Westminster, where John had found himself teaching. John felt the wave of slight fear was hover him and sighed heavily,

"You sure?"

"Thats what he said."

"You scared?"

"A little. You?"

"Go find Pietro, will you?" John said, heading backstage and grabbing a folding chair which other teachers and staff were sitting in.

"I apologize for the last minute change in schedule, but we could only do what was necessary." Mr. Hopkins, the new vice principal stared out, "As I'm sure some of you have already heard, ther has been another mutant shooting, this last one right over in Towson, so the school board has made a drastic decision. Our student body is nearly one-third mutants, as well as a good few of our faculty. The Carroll board of education has decided to transfer all of our mutant students to a private school for mutants in Baltimore city, and I'm sorry to those of you mutant faculty members, but you will be asked to forfeit your current duties, not because you don't do a fantastic job, but for the safety of our students. School will be dismissed in about a half hour." John ran a hand through his hair and was getting very fidgety. Not to say that he wasn't upset about his job, but he REALLY needed his lighter. "I'd like you ask you all to make sure the students gt their possessions safely and go directly to their busses. And once again, I apologize to those of you being asked to leave." Mr. Hopkins left to talk to the student body.

--

Chase pulled his Bronze-Colored Chevy avalanche around the back of the school in fromt of the back courtyard and waited for Pietro, his much younger boyfreind at the time. He got out when he saw Pietro and June.

"What're you gonna do?" June asked. Chase waited for pietro to get in the car and stepped a good distance away,

"Now? I'm gonna make some calls, pay the rent, run a few errands."

"You know what I meant."

"I'm gonna call my high school in New York, try and get them to at least take Pietro."

"What about you?"

"I'm not sure. I ran way once, they might not let me back. Are you gonna be okay?"

"I don't know. Now that I'm emancipated legally, I don't have anywhere to go."

"You're not even gonna go to B-More?"

"I'm not interested. Seaman said I'll already get my diploma."

"That's stupid. Are you gonna go to college?"

"At the rate things are going, Johnny, we're in for a war."

"Don't I know it."

"I don't even know if I wanna go to college, at thisa rate, I won't get a job anyway."

"Come with me to New York. Teach mutants."

"I couldn't do that."

"Do you have any other options right now?" June sighed and looked up at him.

"I'll pick you up at your apartment at six?"

"Sure.

"Pack your things, we're leaving tomorrow morning."

"Taht early?"

"At this point, I just want him safe."

"Alright.

And that was how, two days later, Bobby Drake stood in the foyer of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters at age 24, staring at his ex-best friend that he thought he'd killed.


	2. Love

1Title: Further Down the Road (2/?)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): PG-13

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Minor students in John's Shakespeare class and at the mansion are either kids I go to school with or are made up by me.

-- Bobby's POV--

I like to think I know a lot about John. We grew up together for four years. It's not that I know his whole life's story, he never told me anything about before he came to Xavier's. However, I know a plethora of random facts about him. His favorite color is gray, his oral hygiene is borderline obsessive, he could eat waffles until the cows come home, he loves dogs, his favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice, he likes to hug people (but only ones really close to him), and he wants to have kids.

I know a lot of people only see the side of John that's negative. They see him as overly confident, arrogant, pushy, obnoxious, and a dick overall. And I know that part of that is his fault, for only showing that side of himself.

Regardless of how close we used to be, I was still surprised to see him standing there, looking nervous and slightly worried.

"Back from the dead?" I smirked, he scowled.

"I need to talk to the professor."

"Professor's dead. You know, you're not exactly welcome here."

"Kitty." I spun around to see Pitor's girlfriend coming down the stairs, she looked surprised, then ran up and hugged John. I had forgotten that they had been dating when he left.

"Johnny!" He hugged her tightly and looked up at me wearily. He looked like he had aged so much in the past six years he had shadow of facial hair, his hair had grown out, and he looked so much more… _tired_. More mature, and somehow, much more attractive.

"It doesn't matter If I'm welcome, Bobby." He said, after pulling away from Kitty. "I'm only here to make sure June and Pietro have somewhere safe to be, then I'm going to find an apartment and a job,"

"John!" The two teens that were standing behind him gasped, caught off guard by the intentions unknown to them.

"Or maybe go back to Baltimore." John continued, shifting slightly, wearing that same old brown jacket. The young-looking white haired teen boy was clinging to his left arm affectionately and the slightly older looking teen girl behind him and to the right looked inquisitive, and a bit shaken.

"Johnny, you're just gonna dump us and leave?" The girl asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. He spun around,

"Just let me figure this out, okay?!" he snapped. He must've been tired. It was 7am, and if he had driven form the Baltimore area, it should've taken nearly seven hours to get here, thus he drove all night.

"John? The professor, Jean, and Summers are all dead, but Ms. Monroe or Dr. McCoy should be in the Professor's office." I said as I appraised him.

--3rd Person--

"John." Said Storm as she opened the office door. John nodded and smiled sheepishly, then looked into the office, past his former teacher. He was taken aback when he saw the blue furry… thing inside. "Come in." She said, closing the door behind him as Pietro and June sat in mahogany chairs outside the door.

"Ms. Monroe, I guess you've heard about the shootings in Maryland, and I'm not here to stay. I just wanted to make sure Pietro and June could be somewhere safe. June wants to be a teacher, and I thought that maybe this would be a good place for her, and Pietro needs to finish school, so I was just hoping that you would…" He was babbling.

"John, calm down." Came Ororo's soothing voice. "I have heard of the shootings, and I understand why you're here. I agree that this is a safe place for them, but for you as well. Why won't you be staying? If they came with you, at their age, they must look up to you."

"I know nobody wants me here."

"You must've talked to Bobby."

"Yeah, I talked to him."

"John, you should know how upset he was after Alcatraz."

"I honestly don't care. He's made it perfectly obvious."

"John, you should know that people aren't always the person that they show to the world. All the world's a stage—"

"And all the men and women are merely players. I know."

"John, you and your friends are welcome to stay."

"I already said…"

"John, at least stay until you get a job and an apartment? We can't have you sleeping in your truck with no food."

There was a long pause, John sighed and shook his head, "Fine. Two weeks tops."

"I'm glad you've had a chance of heart. Give Bobby a second chance; he's under a lot of personal stress from Marie right now, and he thought you were dead." Ororo said, smiling warmly as she stood from her place in a leather living chair. "Maybe Hank here could help you look for a job this evening? For now, you look like you could use some rest. Unfortunately, since there's been an influx of student's, I'm going to have to ask you to share our old room with Bobby."

"Figures." John mumbled, turning to leave.

"Hank, could you please show the two new students to some available rooms?"

"With pleasure."

--

"No. Fucking. Way."

"Shut up, Iceman."

"I thought you were leaving."

"She insisted I stay until I get my footing."

"And how long will that be?"

"I don't know, Bobby." John had collapsed on his old bed. He hadn't grown, and was surprised to find he still felt as if he belonged in that room. He was also surprised to see that Bobby had cleaned up his old belongings and put them away neatly, but hadn't removed them from the drawers or the closet. There was a long bit of silence, and John could hear Bobby moving around the room but was unsure of what he was doing.

"John?" Bobby asked, it had to at least have been ten minutes.

"What, Bobby?" John was irritated now, sleep-deprived.

"Who was that boy?"

"What boy?"

"The white haired one."

"Pietro."

"Who is he?"

"Boyfriend." John yawned.

"Oh." After a pause, "How did you meet?"

"Magneto's cured, nobody knows where he is. Magneto's Pietro's dad, he couldn't find Magneto or Mystique, so he found me."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Do you love him?"

"More than air."

"Really?"

"Yes, Bobby. Really."

"As much as you used to say you loved me?" Bobby asked, but John didn't hear, he was fast asleep.


	3. Regret

1Title: Further Down the Road (3/?)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): PG-13

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Minor students in John's Shakespeare class and at the mansion are either kids I go to school with or are made up by me.

Notes: About a week after the last chapter

--

"Bobby! Bobby!" Came Marie's slightly frantic whisper from the door of the ice mutant's shared room. They had stopped dating years ago, but had remained in the circle of friends that they had formed. Bobby stood from his desk and move quietly, as John was still asleep, and Once in the hall with the door closed, Marie and Kitty took either of his arms and walked down the hall with him.

"You won't believe what we just saw!" Kitty exclaimed once they were a good distance form the door.

"What was it?"

"Downstairs in the kitchen we saw Pietro" Marie continued

"Okay. Teenage boys like to eat..." Bobby said, he didn't understand what was going on

"It wasn't just Pietro. Karma was in there with him." Kitty chirped happily,

"I don't understand. He _is_ allowed to be with his classmates, isn't he?" He hated when the two of them were like this, they were grown up, they didn't need drama like 'Dawson's Creek' anymore.

"They were kissing." Marie said, a serious toe in her voice.

"I don't believe you." Bobby said. Although it wasn't entirely impossible, he didn't want to believe it because hat meant John would be pissed, and as if they weren't on bad terms already...

"They were totally making out,"

"Maybe she used her powers on him." Bobby reasoned,

"She knows better than that, Bobby, and you know it." As Marie spoke, they entered the TV room, and low and behold, there was Pietro with his arm around Karma. Suddenly, Bobby couldn't hold himself back. In a second he was standing between the two teens and the TV Set, and then he lurched forward, landing a punch directly in Pietro's jaw,

"You little, slutty faggot!" he yelled, dragging the younger away from the couch and shoving him to the floor by his collar, "How dare you!" He hit him again in the face with an icy fist after straddling the student's chest, then grabbed the front of his shirt with both hands, "He loves you, don't you know that?! How could you do this?!" he screamed, shaking the lithe teen. He didn't hear the three girls yelling at him, and as they reached to grab for him he felt nothing, all he could feel was angry, all he could hear was the pounding in his head.

"Stop it, Bobby." Came a groggy voice. John stood in the doorway to the TV room, shirtless and wearing only jeans, and rubbed his eyes sleepily. Kitty stood, holding his other arm, and judging by that, Bobby assumed that she had went to get him. Bobby could only stared at the other male as hem moved away from Pietro. Shaken, Pietro used his powers to dash out of the room to an unknown hideaway and John slowly turned and left, "I'm going back to sleep."

--

"John, I'm sorry." Pietro was talking slowly, trying to calm down, John knew this meant he was upset, but he wasn't in the mood to hear it after what happened that morning. "It's just... she's closerto myage, and she's soprettyandIthinkshe canoffermethingsthat youcan't." It was difficult to tell if he was relaxing or getting more nervous, letting his words run together.

"Like what, kids? Pietro, I'm sorry to say that you're sixteen, you don't exactly need kids." John still hadn't looked up from his laptop; he was job hunting; unfortunately, nobody really wanted a new teacher in the middle of a semester.

"John, you'retwentythree, and likeyousaid, I'monlysixteen. I don't thinkit'sevenlegal."

"Pietro, I don't fucking care if it's legal or not." Maybe he could work in a day care program for a while, there were plenty of those.

"Iknowthat. Johnny..."

"If you know that, then why is It an issue?" Daycare would be a lot younger than he was used to, unless he did one that was for older kids.

"Johnny, I know theonlyreasonyoucameherewasme andIthankyouforthat andI'msorrytosaythis, but Ireallythink weshouldbreakup."

"You think so?" He could always become a private tutor until the new school year.

"You're such a dick." Pietro snapped, leaving and slamming the door in his wake. Tutoring sounded like a good plan, so John fixed up his resume and sent it in.

--

"John, I'm sorry." Bobby said, signing as he handed his ex-best friend and plate with two home-made waffles on it.

"Suck up." John leaned away form his laptop. He was tired of filling out applications for Jobs.

"I'm not sucking up, I'm trying to apologize."

"Nice to know." He took a bite of the waffles, smiling happily.

"I shouldn't have hit him, it's not like me to do that, I don't know what came over me."

"You sound like a stereotypical nice-guy from a movie." The waffles were warm and slightly crispy, just the way he liked them.

"You remember how you used to force me to watch Queer as Folk with you every Friday night?"

"Yeah, You, Me, and Jubes. I wish it still came on TV." Just the right about on Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, not dry, not soggy either.

"Well, Brian, You're about to lose Justin to Ethan, and what you said earlier didn't help." There was a pause,

"Mikey, he's sixteen. When I was sixteen I was fucking everything that moved."

"You still are."

"Not the point. How're you and the professor."

"We broke up years ago." Bobby smiled, It was like they had their own language.

"Good, leave the happy hetero life to the heteros."

"You love him Brian."

"I gave him a choice."

"Yeah, one that he wasn't prepared to make."

"He's sixteen, he should've been."

"Brian..."

"Mikey..." Bobby moved close to John. John sat the plate on the bedside table and they Kissed. Well, Mikey and Brian kissed. John's hand moved to Bobby's shoulder, Bobby's hand on John's waist. Bobby instinctfully moved his hand to the front of John's jeans and slipped the sips of his fingers past the waistband,

"What are you doing, Mikey?" John asked, shaking his head and pushing Bobby away, returning to his waffles.

--

"I'm sorry to bother you, John." Hank McCoy spoke as he entered the room. John sat at his computer again, only now he was apartment hunting for any apartment he could get in the area. He really had no reason to stick around, but the mansion was a safe haven he could always run to, so it was probably good to stay close by, even though he would loathe staying there as a resident. "But I thought that we keep getting delayed but I finally have a few hours to kill so I can help you find a job and an apartment."

"I've been working on that all morning. I've applied for eight jobs, and expressed interest in three affordable apartments on my expected salary."

"Impressive. Ororo told me you were intelligent, but I didn't want to get my hopes up." John scowled,

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I asked her about you. She said you were intelligent but neglected to show it."

"Interesting."

"If you don't mind me asking, what kind of Job were you looking for? I may have some connections."

"I was teaching Shakespeare to high schoolers in central Maryland before I came here. I enjoyed it, so I guess I'll have to do that, since that's all I know how to do. It's either that or I could hang out on street corners."

"I suppose you have a good point. Why not teach here? There's so many students we can't afford to turn down anyone who might be able to help us.

"Like I said when I got here; I'm not exactly welcome."

"Is it that you're not welcome, or is it that you don't want to be welcomed?" John glanced up as if to say 'Do you really want my answer?' then looked back down at the computer. "The offer still stands. Are you sure you didn't need any more help?"

"I'm fine. I'll be gone by the end of the week." John said plainly, sending another email for an apartment.

--


	4. Tension

1Title: Further Down the Road (4/8, I think.)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): PG-13

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Minor students in John's Shakespeare class and at the mansion are either kids I go to school with or are made up by me.

Note: This chapter is really short. I'm trying to move the plot along quickly, because I get impatient and I'm really trying out this new style. The way I used to write, everything used to flow, but this is a bit more choppy, focusing more on specific moments in time that move the plot along. I hope it feels okay to the reader. Let me know. One of the main reasons I'm trying this is so that I can, later on, add in some 'deleted scenes' per se that aren't completely necessary, but are cute and nice FLUFFY to have around. I'd like to know what you guys think about this.

--

Karma smiled and leaned back on the couch, "What do you want, Pietro?" She was older than Pietro by two years, but he insisted it made no difference to him. He stood between her and the TV which was currently showing the new American Idol elimination. Normally she'd be upset, but she figured she could make an exception for the white-haired teen. Pietro collapsed on the couch with his arm around her,

"Justcametotellyouthatyou'rebeautiful." Pietro smirked and propped his feet up on the coffee table.

"Aren't you a sweetheart?" Karma said sweetly, kissing Pietro on the cheek.

--

"Pietro, I'm not going to have sex with you." Karma whispered from her position beneath Pietro on the couch. But Pietro didn't listen; he just continued his advances on the older female. "Pietro!" She squirmed, sounding uneasy. He ignored her still. He had done the same thing to John many times before, and knew that she was just putting up a fight for fun. "Stop..." She whined, pushing him away slightly. With no avail, she pushed Pietro's shoulders hard, sending him to the floor, "I said stop, Pietro!" She yelled, and then stormed out of the room, but not before saying. "Pietro, I don't think this is going to work out. Maybe we... I made a mistake."

Pietro couldn't believe it. Let's recap the previous week's events: He had snuck around with Karma, got caught, broke up with John, John acted like he didn't care, told Karma, she was happy, then got dumped. Worst off, now he wanted to have sex, and, used to getting what he wants, doesn't know what to do.

--

"Johnny…"

"Screw you." John grumbled, typing away.

"Couldyoujust listentome?" Pietro pleaded, though he had no chance against the self-proclaimed master of arguments.

"No."

"John."

"Pietro, I'm not talking about this. My deadline is tomorrow and I honestly don't have time to waste on you." John sneered as he deleted his last sentence, sighing. "So, unless you have a better word for 'terrified' then I suggest you leave before I start throwing things at you."

Pietro sighed and made to leave, "John, youcanbesucha dicksometimes, butIthinkyouonly dothat becauseyou'resogauded andyou'reafraidthatifyou actlikeahumanbeing thatwe'llthink you'reweak. Butwedon't, John, wejust care aboutyou." Pietro said, closing the door behind him.

"But you don't seem to understand, Pietro." John said to the empty room. "I'm not a human being."

--

"Hey, John." Bobby said, entering the dorm and kicking off his shoes.

"Nnm." John replied from his bed, a cigarette handing gently from between his lips as he stared intently at the computer screen that basked his face in light, a sharp contrast to the room that darkened with the setting sun.

"You'll hurt your eyes if you do that; it makes your pupils repeatedly dilate from the contrast and–"

"Save it." John said, tapping the cigarette over the ashtray on the night stand. Bobby flipped on the light and John straightened up on his bed, stretching briefly and returning to the laptop.

"What're you working on anyway?"

"Got a deadline tomorrow."

"A deadline for what?"

"My editor wants the next five chapters of my new novel."

"You write?"

"Bobby, I've been writing since we were thirteen."

"Oh. Sorry."

"Don't be."

"So what are you writing about?"

"For all intensive purposes..." John sighed, thinking as he leaned back on his hands. Bobby sat down on his own bed after removing all but his boxers and putting on a tee shirt. He studied John's face and smiled as he felt the slight breeze coming from outside. The day before and today had warmed up significantly and were in the high 60's, it felt really nice. "I'm writing about... it's complicated." another sigh.

"You'll have to let me read it when it's done?" Bobby tried to help him explain. John looked up, putting out his cigarette and looking at Bobby genuinely.

"I don't think I could ask for anything more." and he smiled. Bobby smiled too, because it was John's smile that was rarely seen. John only smiled like that when he couldn't have been happier.

Not to be conceited, but Bobby liked to think that smile was special, something that John only showed to him.


	5. Repression

1Title: Further Down the Road (5/?)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): R

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Minor students in John's Shakespeare class and at the mansion are either kids I go to school with or are made up by me.

--

Bobby smiled as he looked down on John, naked, eyes closed, one hand squeezing his own and the other gripping the pillow, "Bobby..." he voiced, low and slightly desperate.

"John, shut up!" Bobby whispered loudly, "If we get caught, I swear..."

"Bobby, we won't get caught. Everyone's in class."

"Don't remind me." Bobby snapped just before John pulled him down in a passionate kiss. "Mmm." he sighed as he thrusted into John a few more times. John moaned and smiled as he came when Bobby hit his prostrate and also came soon after, pulling away from John and collapsing next to him. After John caught his breath, he rolled over to face Bobby.

"You alright?" he asked the slightly older teen who had been silent since the separated. There was still a long pause,

"Yeah." He finally replied, standing and making his way to their shared bathroom. He came out about ten minutes later and got dressed. "I'm going to class. What do you want me to tell Summers?" John thought for a moment, trying to come up with a good excuse, then stood up and punched the mirror. Bobby stared at him, surprised.

"I had another panic attack..." John said, getting dressed and wiping his now bleeding hand on his tee shirt, "Punched the mirror, and now you're taking me to the infirmary." John said, putting on his shoes carefully and leaving the room with his roommate.

--

"John... John, wake up. John?"

"Ugh... what?" John asked, reaching over to the night stand and feeling around for his glasses then putting them on to focus on the other, "What, Bobby?" he said groggily as he sat up.

"You woke me up, you were making a lot of noise, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Bobby." John sighed, irritation hanging on the edges of his words.

"I was just worried about you." Bobby mumbled, moving away frm his spot on the edge of the mattress.

"I'm not a kid anymore, I don't need you to watch over me."

"John, everyone needs someone to watch over them. What if you had a panic attack?"

"I haven't had a panic attack in four years."

"So? But what if you _did_?"

"Bobby, it was just a weird dream. Go back to sleep." John said as Bobby returned to his own bed, the bed that John had recreated in his dreams.

--

Pancakes. John smiled as he sat down next to Jubilee at a table in the cafeteria; plates had already been loaded and set ut at each spot with orange juice and chocolate milk. Sure, they weren't quite waffles, but a close cousin indeed. "Morning."

"Morning, hun. Bobby said you had a bad dream last night."

"I didn't have a bad dream."

"What happened?"

"It was just... something that happened between me and Bobby when we were kids."

"You mean when you were like... sixteen?":

"Yeah. I guess it was a memory."

"I'm sorry Johnny, but memories don't make you make that much noise in your sleep." John gave her a look, as if to say, think-about-it-dumbass. She raised her eyebrow and after a moment, "You can't be serious." John simply gave her another look. "You were fucking him?!" She asked in disbelief, maybe a little too loudly since some of the others seated at their table and from surrounded tables looked up at her.

"I haven't even thought about that in almost six years."

"John, from a psychological point of view, sex in dreams usually means a repressed desire for love, whether it be emotional or physical. Considering you just broke up with Pietro, maybe you're just feeling lonely... or horny. About the Bobby part, I'm not sure about that. I mean, I know you loved him when you guys were students, and obviously something happened between you two, but I thought you were over that."

"It wasn't just something." John said, lowering his voice and turning to face his friend fully, "He knew I loved him, so we made a compromise that he could come to me when he wanted to have sex because he couldn't get that from Rogue, and you know, guys like sex." John sighed, "When I left them in the jet at Alkali, Bobby and I had a fight the night before. I wanted him to dump her, and he said that I wasn't his boyfriend, I was just someone he could have sex with, so I left. After that, I dated Jamie for a year, then, when Magneto never showed up, I left, went to Baltimore, and Pietro found me. I thought everything was good and I didn't even think about Bobby. Then the shootings happened and I started to get worried, so I always said I would come here if things go too bad, and until I got here, I hadn't thought about him in at least five years."

"Johnny, I know I majored in psych, but I really can't give you all the answers. You're gonna have to figure this out for yourself. Speaking of, Pietro talked to me yesterday, told me he wanted to come back to you and you turned him down."

"I never turned him down. He wanted to talk and I told him to go away; I was working. I couldn't be bothered. He knows that when I have a deadline, I don't have time for _anything_."

"That's not the way it seemed to me. He was sure that you didn't want to have anything to do with him al all, ever again."

"Oh my god, drama."

"I agree."

"I thought that it was all over after college. No more drama, ever."

"'Fraid not, you're in a school full of teenagers, sweetie."

"Don't remind me."

--

"Ms. Monroe?"

"Yes, John."

"Um, I've really been looking for a teaching job and I've sent in more than a dozen applications."

"I understand."

"But nobody really wants to hire a teacher in the middle of the school year. I was wondering if you..."

"I'd be glad to offer you a position." She smiled. "English?"

"Anything's fine. Sign Language, English, Gym, Music, whatever."

"You know music?"

"Yeah, I can play violin, piano, guitar, and flute."

"I'm impressed."

"You should be." Ororo worked on the computer for a moment."

"Well, we don't offer sign language at the moment, but if you don't mind..."

"Like I said, anything's fine. I just need a job."

"Good then, starting next semester, in two weeks, we'll offer Sign 1."

"That implies there's a two?"

"If you'd like, considering all goes well." John smiled.

--

Sausage and Eggs. Definitely not John's favorite, "Morning."

"Morning, sweetie. Talk to sppedy yet?"

"Speedy? You mean Pietro?"

"Yeah."

"Nope."

"Bobby told me you had another 'nightmare'."

"Shut up."

"He's gonna know something's up."

"Not if you keep your big mouth shut."

"Sooner or later, John, he's gonna figure out that all that moaning and groaning isn't necessarily negative."

"You make me sound like a horny teenager."

"At this point, you're no better than that."

"Bitch."

"Why don't you just talk to Pietro?"

"Who says that me getting back with him is gonna make this stop? What if it's not that?"

"What else could it be?"

"I don't know. But what if I keep having these dreams after Pietro and I clear this all up?"

"Then we'll analyze it further. Maybe you should take the dreams at face value. Maybe it _is_ Bobby that you want."

"I'm done with him. Speaking of, he's not with Marie?"

"Nope, they stayed together for a bit after she got the cure. I hear they fucked like bunnies for a few days, but then things kinda fell apart. In my opinion, I think the fact that she was just barely out of reach is what Bobby was with her for. Once he finally had her, the fun was gone. No challenge, yeah?"

"I guess. Is he single now?"

Jubilee sat her fork down and sighed, staring at her plate as she tried to think of a good approach to the subject. "A lot has happened while you were gone. After he and Marie split he had a thing with Pitor for almost a year, then Pitor moved on to Kitty and he was pretty upset, so he moved on to Liza for a bit and they were really close and got engaged but then she was killed by Vargas and he got pretty depressed for a while. About a month before you got here, rumors started going around about him and Warren. I don't think it's official yet, but I have noticed that they've been going out together." John sighed. "Is it not what you expected, or is it not what you wanted to hear?" Jubilee asked, tilting her head.

"I don't know. Something about it just seems odd."


	6. Worry

Title: Further Down the Road (6/

1Title: Further Down the Road (6/?)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): PG-13

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Minor students in John's Shakespeare/Sign class and at the mansion are either kids I go to school with or are made up by me. Eden and Mackenzie are made up by me. :D

Citations: I pulled out a characteristic of John in the last chapter (His panic attacks) and I used some sources to help me make them accurate. These include: _Anxiety Disorders_ –Connolly, Simpson, and Petty

--

He's trembling, crying, hyperventilating, and screaming that he's crazy. All at the same time. Bobby's utterly terrified for the slightly younger mutant freaking out in the corner of his(Bobby's) bed, knees pulled to his chest as he visibly shakes and sobs.

"John?" No answer, he steps closer to the bed and contemplates going to get a teacher. "John, are you okay?"

"Get the fuck away from me!" Bobby recoils and leaves the room quickly, coming back only moments later with Ororo. She approached the teen slowly and dodged being hit by an uncontrolled swing of the young pyrokinetic's fist. "I'm not crazy!"

"I know, John, I know." She said in her always soothing voice. Another swing, this time, his nails catch her arm, leaving reddening streaks behind. She pulled away. "Bobby. I think he's having a panic attack."

"Is he gonna be okay?" At age fifteen, Bobby's only heard of panic attacks as something that only happens to a friend of a friend. He hadn't even had a conversation with the newly arrived roommate, and already he was being screamed at and hit.

"I'm sure he will be. Panic attacks usually pass in about ten minutes. Why don't you go get a glass of water for him? I'll go talk to the professor." Bobby ran through the halls with a sense of urgency that wasn't really necessary, however by the time he returned with the glass of water, the new student had calmed down and was sitting quietly in the center of Bobby's bed, looking nervous.

"Here." Bobby said quietly, handing over the glass of water after freezing it around the outside. John took it, and Bobby notices that the ice immediately melted under his hand, dripping water onto the bed.

"Thanks." John said quietly, staring a the glass for a moment then taking a small sip, swallowing apprehensively, then drinking more heartily.

"I'm Bobby." He extended a hand, John took it and shook it, shivering at the cold contact.

"Your hands are cold."

"Yours are warm."

"I'm John."

--

"Ugh…" Bobby pushed himself away from the mattress and looked around. The sun was coming up, John was snoring softly in his bed, however had pulled his pillow down to the foot of the bed and was sleeping like that. Bobby smiled and got up, pulling on a pair of jeans and walking out to the Small Balcony that he and John shared with the neighboring dorm. The air outside was cool, but not cold, and would surely warm up in the afternoon sun of that mid-April day. Bobby was fascinated as he watched the sun rise. From the third-floor balcony he could see the sky turn brilliant shades of pink, blue, and purple gradually just above the distant tree line. Bobby sighed happily, then noticed the silhouette of what could have been a bird, but he knew better. Warren flew closer he was still only a silhouette as the early morning sun backed his form, casting shadows over the front of him. He touched down softly in front of Bobby, looking relaxed and calm.

"Morning. You're up early." He said, stretching his arms over his head and slightly untucking his black tee from his jeans as his wings fluttered. Bobby smiled,

"Weird dream, didn't think it was worth trying to fall back asleep."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"D'_you_ want me to talk about it?"

"If you wanna talk, I'll listen, you should know that."

"I had a dream about when John first got here."

"Nothing weird about dreaming about memories."

"I guess not."

"What happened?"

"When he got here? He had a panic attack. The professor hadn't diagnosed him yet."

"Diagnosed? With what?"

"Panic Disorder and slight Dependent Personality Disorder."

"When does a panic attack become a panic disorder."

"I don't really get it myself, but John described it as when you're afraid of the symptoms of panic attacks, and thus avoid situations in which you're prone to having one."

"Oh. And the dependent thing?"

"Yeah, he's afraid of being abandoned, and needs to depend on the people around him."

"And if he feels abandoned—"

"He has a panic attack. Thus, Panic Disorder."

"Makes sense."

"he hates being alone."

"He seems to stay locked in your room alone all the time."

"I know."

"And he broke up with that young kid, he didn't seem upset."

"That's what worries me."

"I don't understand."

"He would have had a panic attack by now. Pietro is the one who broke up with him."

"Maybe he's just grown out of the disorder."

"It's not something you grow out of, you just learn to control it."

"And?"

"Warren, I just know. Something's not right."

--

Bobby seated himself between Emma And Warren at breakfast quietly as he reached for the Glass of Orange Juice before him.

"Stop worrying." Warren muttered, smiling at him as he bit the end off of a strip of bacon.

"I'm not worrying."

"You're not eating either."

"I'm not hungry."

"You're alwys hungry."

"Am not."

"I sit next to you at every meal, you're plate is always clean. You're worrying."

"I am _not_."

"Why don't you talk to him?"

"Because he'll act exactly like you're acting now.!" Bobby practically yelled, standing up and leaving.

--

"Hello?" Bobby asked, picking up the phone, "No, he's teaching right now… I'm sorry, but he won't be able to get to the phone… I understand but… Can I take a message. Okay. Alright. I'll tell him as soon as I can. Okay. I will. Bye." He rushed through the halls to John's classroom. "John!" the classroom was utterly silent. The desks arranged in a horseshoe so the students could communicate and John standing at the open end of the room at the overhead, looking through his papers. He noticed Bobby and held up one finger and, with the other hand, handed the two students on the end of the curve half of the stack of paper he had retrieved then motioned around the room. Bobby stood awkwardly in the doorway as John signed to his class and they passed the papers around, then paired off as John moved to the hallway with Bobby.

"Sorry, what is it?"

"John, there's been an accident."

"What kind of accident?" John looked weary.

"Eden…" Bobby couldn't finish his statement, immediately John was freaking out.

"What the fuck happened to Eden?!"

"She was in a car accident." Bobby flinched immediately and moved away, ready to be hit. When the impact didn't come, Bobby looked up, and John was gone. He looked in the classroom and saw that he wasn't there, so he proceeded to the front of the room "Uh, you guys, just finish your worksheet and hand it in to me then you can go." He said awkwardly, unaccustomed to such silence in a class.

--

Bobby stared at his cell phone, debating whether to call John or not. It had been sever hours, and if Bobby knew anything, he knew John was most likely on a plane to Florida and his phone was off. John's twin sister, Eden, had developed her powers a few months after John had arrived at the school , and had come to the mansion only to stay for about a week, then left for Florida to live with their older sister, who owned a costume shop. John was always overprotective of his sister, so it was no surprise that John had taken off immediately after he heard the news.

A week later, John showed up at the mansion holding a toddler in his right arm.


	7. Jealousy

1Title: Further Down the Road (7/10)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter):R

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Minor students in John's Shakespeare/Sign class and at the mansion are either kids I go to school with or are made up by me. Eden and Mackenzie are made up by me. :D

--

Click. Swish.

"Ms. Monroe, I can't take care of a kid."

"I understand, John. But I think you're underestimating yourself."

Click. Swish.

"No, no, I'm really not. I didn't even have parents, I have no idea what I'm doing.

"John, why don't you sit down and let me tell you a story?"

Click. Swish. John collapses on one of the leather living chairs, Ororo sat across from him. Click. Swish.

"About ten years ago, there was a student that arrived here after killing his fourth set of foster parents (No, he didn't kill four of them, just the one set, but he had others before them). He was fourteen, almost fifteen and he was absolutely terrified to be here. I walked him to his dorm and left him there to tell the professor of his arrival, and when I was coming back, his roommate ran up to me because he was scared that the other was hurt. He had a violent panic attack and left this mark," She lifted her sleeve, "On my arm when he want to hit me. After that, he struggled through his classes, found it hard to make friends, and dropped out of school two years later. Now, he's one of my favorite novelists, and has become a vary accomplished adult. I knew he was far more intelligent than he let himself be, and I know he has more potential that anyone sees in him. John, you have so much strength, and everyone here supports you, you just have to let them support you." She smiled and stood, "Now, you may want to relieve Jubilee of her duties before she sets of fireworks on your niece."

Click. Swish. John left the room silently, glaring at nothing in particular.

--

"I worry for your future, Miss Mackenzie." John said as he changed the toddlers diaper for what seemed like the thousandth time since he had brought her back to the mansion a week ago. "If you ask my opinion, you have the worst legal guardian anyone could wish for. If I were social services, I'd take you away in a heartbeat." Thunder sounded outside the dorm room as John pulled on the little girl's jeans and adjusted her green shirt. He lifted her off the changing table and thunder sounded again, louder this time; Mackenzie stared crying.

"Daddy" She screamed, tears beginning to streak her cheeks. _I'm not your Dad._ John closed the window next to his bed and then closed the doors that lead to the balcony and locked them,

"It's alright. It's not gonna hurt you." John muttered, bouncing her lightly as he started to leave the dorm, grabbing the toddler's stuffed monkey from her crib. She began to calm down and her sobs turned to sniffles as she clung to John, her arms wrapped around his neck. Just as John opened the mahogany door to leave, he came face to face with Bobby, whom he hadn't spoken too since he got back from Florida, Mackenzie in hand. John had easily gotten the vibe that Bobby strongly disapproved of him being responsible for another human life, even though he said that he didn't mind having her stay in their already small dorm room. John suspected that the only reason he agreed was for the safety of the infant, so that he could care for her when John wasn't suitable. At least Bobby had some sort of example to work off of.

"John."

"Bobby." There was an awkward silence, Mackenzie began to whine again as the power went out, John looked around. "Well, Miss, I guess were not going downstairs then; it's probably pitch black." John turned around and sat Mackenzie down in her crib, sighing. He had actually been glad for the opportunity to get out of the room since he had just finished another deadline. Bobby sat down at the desk that they now shared, since John had gotten rid of his so he could Put Mackenzie's crib in it's place. John sat down on his bed, relaxing against the softness of the surplus of pillows that he insisted be on his bed.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" Bobby spoke calmly, with his back to John as he worked on something on his computer.

"I haven't."

"Yes you have. You're always in here, and when I'm in here, you leave."

"It's not intentional, just coincidence. I thought you'd been avoiding me. Jubilee told me that you don't think I should've taken Mackenzie in."

"When did I say that?"

"I saw it written all over your face that day I came back."

"Don't act like I have no faith in you."

"I'm not acting like it. I know you don't."

"I do."

"Bobby, you never have." John said. He was getting irritated now and had move to sit on the edge of his bed. Click. Swish.

"John. When have I ever said that I have no faith in you?"

"You really wanna know. Bobby?!" Click. Swish. "You told me on that day before Alkali. I wasn't lying Bobby. It didn't have a fucking thing to do with my "disorder"." Click. Swish. John stood up and walked over to Bobby, bending down to whisper, "I told you I loved you Bobby, and I meant it." He said, then moved away, stuffing his lighter in his pocket and picking up the now crying toddler, then leaving the room and slamming the door.

--

John sat on the couch in the fire-lit recreation room with his arm around Pietro, who was leaning on his shoulder, half asleep. He propped his feet up on the table as he protectively watched June enchant Mackenzie's monkey into dancing, making Mackenzie giggle happily. Jubilee was also sitting on the floor with the other two girls, smiling as she and June played with Mackenzie in something of an effort to give John a break. "Johnny?" Pietro asked, looking up, But John was distracted by the only source of light during the power outage; the fireplace. He wasn't controlling it, or maybe he was, he couldn't tell, but he was simply staring, dazed. "Johnny? Snapoutofit."

"Hm?" John asked, still staring. Pietro reached up to his chin and turned his head, snapping John out of his moment. Pietro smiled and John kissed him on his forehead, smiling as well. John yawned,

"Ilikeyourhaircut. Youlookreallyhan'some." Pietro said, then ran his hand over John's cheek, "Theshave, notsomuch." John yawned again and rubbed his eyes.

"The only reason I didn't shave for a while was because you said you liked it." Another yawn, god he was tired.

"Hey, Mackenzie. Tell Daddy he needs a nap." Jubilee smiled, looking up at John in an insisting way, if that was even possible. _I'm not her father._ Pietro stood up,

"She'sright." Pietro said, standing

"Go ahead, John, Jubilee and I'll take good care of Mackenzie. Besides, she needs a motherly figure."

"Comeon." Pietro asked, smiling as he pulled on John's hand. It didn't take much forcing, after all, John had been the only one waking up to take care of Mackenzie nearly every night. Pietro led John upstairs, and the two passed Bobby long the way, receiving a slightly odd look But John didn't think anything of it, considering Pietro was practically dragging him half asleep across the mansion, he was pretty sure he looked odd enough.

--

"Ugh. Someone needs a change" Jubilee laughed, covering her nose. "Bobby, could you go upstairs and get her a diaper and some baby wipes. I'll change her down here so John can sleep."

"Yeah, I'll be right back." Bobby said, sitting down the playstation controller. The power had come back on just after John left, and several students cad convinced Bobby to play some first person shooters with them. Bobby quickly walked the beaten path through the halls to his shared dorm. He let this hand fall on the doorknob and opened the door quickly and began to head for the changing table, but froze.

John wasn't sleeping, but was propped up on the pillows, his head tilted back against the headboard, grinning like the devil and Pietro was crouched between his legs, giving him a blowjob.

All of a sudden, Bobby felt dizzy with emotion. Somehow, he felt betrayed, angry disgusted, and abandoned. But most of all, he felt a wave of jealousy hit him like a ton of bricks. He shook his head and took a deep breath, which, apparently, John had heard, because he looked up and smirked at Bobby knowingly. Bobby frowned and shook his head, turning his back to the couple as he grabbed Jubilee's requested items, then he left, slamming the door in his wake and making Pietro jump.

"Whatwasthat?" He asked, sitting up and moving to lean on John's chest.

"Nothing. It must've been someone else."

--

"He was _what_?!" Jubilee asked as she changed Mackenzie's diaper with the speed of many year's experience.

"Pietro was giving him head. Where'd you learn to change diapers anyway?"

"I practically raised my brothers and sisters. Considering they're a couple, I don't see anything wrong with it, other than the fact that they broke up and just got back together a few days ago."

"I know, but they're seven years apart. It's practically illegal. Why aren't your siblings here? They should be old enough, aren't they mutants?"

"Nope, I'm the only mutant so far. Even if it is illegal, you should've seen how happy John was earlier."

"Oh yeah, John happy. Even if he was happy in a relationship, he wouldn't act like it."

"Bobby, you know better than anyone, his idea of happy doesn't have to include a smile.But he _was_ smiling, it was almost creepy to see him like that. Couldn't you at least give him your blessing for that?"

"I felt do betrayed though."

"What're you talking about?"

"I felt betrayed, abandoned, almost jealous." Jubilee finished dressing Mackenzie and set her on the floor to play with June.

"Bobby," She asked with a sly smile and that smirk that she only gets when she knows there's gossip abound. "Do you have a thing for John?" Bobby remained silent.

--

"Warren, I'm not in love with John." Bobby solemnly announced as he took another bite of the strawberry ice cream sat between the two of them at the kitchen island.

"Never said you were." Warren too took a bite, but since he had taken to walking around shirtless (due to the precision it took to put a shirt on over his wings) he shivered, his wings fluttering and knocking a plastic cup off the counter behind him, "Shit." He bent down to pick it up.

"But you know I'm not, right?"

"Of corse I do." came the reply as warren stood up and sat the cup back on the counter, not bothering to clean up the spilled water.

"Are you saying that because I want you to or are you saying that because it's the truth?" Warren dropped his spoon on the tiled counter top,

"What's wrong, Bobby?" He asked, sighing.

"I saw john with Pietro."

"They're together all the time, I don't understand why this is significant."

"They were having sex."

"Oh."

"And I reacted in a way I shouldn't have."

"Oh."

"I felt jealous, and I don't know why."

"Bobby..."

"But now I just don' know. I don't want to be in love with anyone anymore. After Marie, then Pete and Liza, I don't want that to happen again. And after they way I treated John before he left, I just don't know anything anymore."

"What happened when he left?"

"We were friends with... benefits for a while. Before he left he wanted me to dump Marie for him, but I couldn't do that. I mean, I think I was in love with him then, but I just didn't want to hurt her, so I told him that he was wrong. I told him that he didn't really love me, it was just his dependent personality disorder affecting and confusing him. So he left."

"Bobby, at this point, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe you should talk to him about it. Or Maybe you can talk to Jubilee or June, they're close to John."

--

John sighed and made sure to knock before he entered his dorm this time. With no answer, he assumed it was safe to enter, so he swung the door ope and closed it behind him, watching his feet. Once he was sure that nothing was going on that he didn't want to see, Bobby looked up, and once again, froze.

There lay John, sprawled out on his bed atop the comforter, snoring softly in only his boxers. Mackenzie was asleep too, on his chest, and she was wearing only a diaper, Bobby smiled as he watched her rise and fall as she was held on john's chest loosely with one of his hands. John's chest and still had droplets of water on it, and there was a wet spot on the comforter under his head, so Bobby suspected that John had gotten a shower and bathed Mackenzie, then fallen asleep before he got too much further.

Regardless of how he had gotten to the way he was laying now, John looked absolutely gorgeous, and vary paternal. The Bobby quietly opened his desk Drawer and pulled out his digital camera and took a picture of the pair laying across the room.

--


	8. People

1Title: Further Down the Road (8/10)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says: Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter):PG-13

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Minor students in John's Shakespeare/Sign class and at the mansion are either kids I go to school with or are made up by me. Eden and Mackenzie are made up by me. :D

--

Note: This chapter is a bit long, but the next one is really good! Even I'm excited for it.

--

John glared at everyone he came across as he carried the screaming toddler down the hallway. His hair was sticking up in the worst way possible, his clothes didn't match (camo pants and a blue tee), he had yet to brush his teeth, and he was exhausted as hell. When he finally arrived in the cafeteria next to jubilee, Mackenzie had quieted down a bit, but was still sniffling. John glared down at the plate that Jubilee got him; two pieces of toast, a piece of sausage and some scrambled eggs.

"Jubilee, I don't know why you insist on getting my food every meal."

"Because you won't eat right If I don't."

"I still don't eat right."

"At least I'm trying."

"Thanks." John said, grabbing the banana tat was sitting next to his plate. Jubilee picked up her own banana and followed him,

"Where're you going in such a hurry?"

"'Kenzie's sick." John said, pushing his way through the double doors that led to the dining hall. Jubilee smiled,

"Awww, that's cute. Who's to say you don't make a good father?"

"I'd probably do the same to you if you had a fever for 103."

"Jezus." Jubilee said, putting her hand on Mackenzie's head, "And you're taking her to Hank?"

"No. He scares me, he's obviously gonna scare her. Besides, he's not a pediatrician."

"You're scared of Hank?!" Jubilee laughed. "He's not scary at all!" Then, in a baby voice, "He's just like a great big teddy bear, isn't he, Kenzie?"

"Big bear." Mackenzie giggled even though tears were still shining on her cheeks.

"You have the attention span of a cheese doodle."

"Shut up, Johnny. At least I'm not afraid of everything." She said, irritated. In a second, John had turned on her and was holding a fireball in her face. Jubilee backed away carefully. "I'm sorry, Johnny. I shouldn't have said that." She spoke slowly, but genuinely. Mackenzie had stared crying again and was squirming in John's grip. He forced a smile and sat the toddler on the floor, holding her hand as he continued to walk in silence while John gave the banana to Mackenzie in pieces. They walked to John and Bobby's dorm room in silence and John opened the door, sitting Mackenzie on his bed and going into the bathroom as Jubilee collapsed on his bed as well.

Jubilee smiled, because if it had been any other guy at the school, they would have kicked her out, and she was glad that she knew John well enough to know that he would rather have her there than not have her there. She watched quietly as he went into the bathroom and came back carrying his jacket and Mackenzie's clothes and Jacket, since she had previously still been in her Little Mermaid nightgown. She smiled in admiration as her long time friend gently changed the little girl into overalls and a pink short sleeved shirt, then put her jacket on before putting on his own jacket.

"I'm so proud of you," Jubilee told him quietly and he smiled, but only for a second before grabbing his old boots and Mackenzie's blue tennis shoes.

"Get your jacket." He told her as he picked up Mackenzie again, who was clinging to her stuffed monkey. He also retrieved a dark green bookbag that he used as a diaper bag 'without looking like a queen' as he described.

"You want me to come?"

"I'd rather you than Pietro." Was all he said before heading out to his truck.

--

"What's up with him?" Kitty asked, Nodding in John's direction from the table she was sitting at with Bobby, Warren, Marie, Pitor, and Gambit. Bobby turned,

"I dunno. He didn't get a whole lot of sleep as far as I know; Mackenzie was up all night."

"He looks frazzled." Marie said. Bobby turned around when he realized that almost all of them were staring at the other teacher. Kitty then stood up,

"I'm done. I'll see y'all later. Have a nice Saturday." Kitty said, smiling as she left, accompanied by Pitor. Marie and Gambit were quick to follow, but Bobby had yet to touch most of his food.

"You okay?" Warren asked, looking at Bobby concerned,

"Yeah, I'm fine, just not very hungry is all." Bobby said in a solemn voice, pushing around his scrambled eggs.

"What's going on?"

"I'm fine."

"Obviously not."

"I just... I've been thinking."

"About what?"

"Once in a while I wake up and look over at John in the morning, and every so often he's laying there holding Pietro so protectively and he looks so happy."

"Yeah, people _are_ generally happy when they're with their lover."

"I know, I know. That's not what I meant. I just can't help but think that I used to be the one that made John happy like that."

"You said that he used to like you."

"I know, and I feel bad because he never made _me_ that happy."

"Okay, so what're you thinking?" There was a long pause,

"I just... I want things to be the way they used to be between us." Warren stood up,

"Then I guess you're gonna need a plan. Be here at lunch."

--

"Pitor, Make sure you're at lunch today, alright?" Warren asked, peeking his head into the art classroom where pitor was grading sculptures.

"Uh, sure."

--

"Marie, Remy?" Warren walked up behind the couch in the TV room, looking down oin the couple.

"Uh huh?" Marie asked, not looking away from the movie. Remy popped another kernel of popcorn in his mouth.

"Are you guys gonna be at lunch?"

"Sure thing." Remy said, raiding a dismissive hand at Warren, who stayed for a moment, then left.

--

"Kitty?"

"Oh! Warren! I was hoping to talk to you."

"About what?"

"Why don't you sit down?" Kitty asked, motioning to couch prop that sat in her theatre classroom. Warren did as told and Kitty sat next to him, "Are you okay wiht all this?" She asked seriously,

"All what?"

"I know you like Bobby. Even Marie knows that you like Bobby."

"Uh..."

"And, I dunno if you've noticed, but he's falling pretty damn fast for Johnny."

"Um..." Warren fixed his gaze on his hands in his lap.

"I just want to make sure you're okay with it. I know we're not that close, I mean, no offense, but Johnny, Marie, Bobby, Pitor, Jubilee, and I are closer than you could ever be to any of us. But I guess I'm worried about both you and Bobby. Because, you know, Bobby's been hurt a lot, and I'm counting on you to be there for him if it doesn't work out with John."

"I don't really know." Warren said, not happily, but not sadly either, thoughtfully. "Kitty, the six of you, what was your relationship? I'm just curious, because I don't know you that well, and It seems like you all have a past together, so if you don't mind..."

"Oh! Of corse." Kitty smiled and stood, then sighed happily, "My god, we were _inseparable_. I think I was dating John first, and John and Bobby were like... the dynamic duo. They were so close and knew_ everything _about each other. Then Marie came to the school and Bobby was so infatuated, John and I made fun of him for a while, actually. Marie and I hit it off immediately, it was like we were long separated sisters we were so alike and we had so much fun. Then John met Jubilee. I wasn't jealous, because I think, even from the time that she first arrived I knew it was different between them. But later, after John came out, I understood. When Pitor got here I was scared senseless, but we hit it off really well, he's like a gentle giant, and we started dating a few years ago.

Still, the six of us were the oldest I the school and we thought we practically ruled the school. I think, we really could have taken over the school at one point, using John and Jubilee's knowledge of the school, then Bobby and I for technical knowledge and Marie and Pete for distraction. Anyway, John dumped me when he was sixteen and told me he was gay. I was shocked. Crushed, but shocked. I told him he had my full support and laughed when I told him that Jubilee was a fag hag, he laughed too, because he told me that every gay man needs a female best friend, and that's what she was to him. I think John and I drifted part first in the group, and Jubilee went with him, because she was only with us because of him. Not that we were separated, because the six of us still did everything together. I guess you could call it internal organization issues.

John kept his coming out between Jubilee, himself and I for a while, until he told Jubilee that he liked Bobby, and she couldn't keep her mouth shut. Actually, I'd say it was Bobby's fault that she told, considering it was late, we were tipsy and trying to play truth or dare. Bobby asked her what John's darkest secret was, because he knew she knew and she told him. I laugh thinking about it, because John had a panic attack, thinking we would all abandon him because he was gay. You could imagine. We all left soon after, and the next day was a weird day for all of us. John was being unusually quiet, Bobby was really paranoid, and the other four of us didn't know what was going on. I sat John down and talked to him. Apparently, they had sex. Bobby was afraid Marie would find out, John was upset because Bobby said that the only reason they had sex was because he couldn't have sex with Marie.We kept it a secret from everyone, it was kind of what brought John and I together. He could talk to me about it, and I wouldn't tell anyone, meanwhile I could make sure Marie didn't know.

So it was like that for quite a while, almost a year. But we are teenagers, and we more than enough drama to go around. John was getting fed up with Bobby exploiting his feelings, and told Bobby to dump Marie or he would leave. Then Alkali happened, and John left, because Bobby didn't have the balls to stop him. Jubilee started hanging out with a new crowd and I got closer to Bobby and Marie and Pete. After that, Alcatraz happened and Marie got cured. Bobby went to the cure clinic, and from what John told me, some things happened, and he acted like a Dick t Bobby instead fo asking him again. They fought at Alcatraz and Bobby knocked John out, then carried him to safety.

John doesn't know that Bobby saved his life. But I think the reason Bobby did it was because he realized that he did love John. When Bobby came back to the school, Marie was cured and they drifted apart, I'm not sure why. Then you came and Remy came, Marie stared dating him, Pete and I got engaged, and that's where we are now." Kitty turned away from him and back to a video of play auditions she had been watching.

--

John watched carefully as Mackenzie played w9ith a rubber duck that was in the waiting room at the pediatrician. There were a lot of children and parents sitting around, one mother holding a crying child, and a few older children, one teenager. "Must've come at a bad time." John said, standing up for a pregnant woman who walked in holding a little Boy's hand.

"What were you talking about earlier?" Jubilee asked,

"What did I say?" He sipped on the Wawa coffee they had stopped for on the way.

"When you said you rather it be me than Pietro."

"You know me, I don't like playing the happy homo couple."

"Oh, right, _Brian_."

"Well, _Lindsay_, what do you think it is then?"

"Johnny, are you two doing alright?"

"He's just... morning's aren't exactly my thing, he loves them."

"Stop making excuses."

"I'm not."

"But you're not telling me what's really going on."

"Listen, I love Pietro more than air, but he just wears me thin sometimes."

"Tell him."

"I can't."

"Because he'll get upset."

"Johnny."

"He's patient. He takes care of me in a lot of the same sense that I take care of Kenzie."

"What do you mean."

"You know, he makes sure I get my work done, makes sure I take my meds, knows how to keep me from panicking."

"So he's a security blanket."

"Mackenzie Allerdyce?" Called a nurse from a door leading to patient rooms. John picked up Mackenzie and headed that way.

"Say what you will, but It's more complicated than that."

--

"What's this about, Warren?" Pitor asked from a drawing he was working on as he at the tuna fish sandwich before him, careful not to get any on the drawing.

"Yeah, I have audition tapes to watch." Kitty protested, crossing off names on a list of students she had brought.

"Um... Bobby needs our help."

"I do not."

"Bobby, you said so this morning."

"Warren, I don't need you to do this." Kitty looked up,

"Too bad." She said, closing the folder with the list inside it and capping her pen.

"So, I guess you all know that John and Bobby were friend with benefits as students,. And Bobby told me this moving that he wants it to be like that again, so we're gonna have to set up a plan."

"This could be interesting." Marie said, rubbing gloved hands together.

"Bobby, any suggestions?"

"Well, when we were students, a lot of Saturday nights John and I would get some drinks and act like idiots together... and we'd usually... well... yeah."

"Hmm... could work." Pitor chimed in, sitting down his pencil, "But we'd have to get John in a position so that he's not with Mackenzie or Pietro, because he won't drink in front of the kid, and if Pietro's around, that's definitely gonna be an obstacle.

"I could offer to play babysitter for the night. I'm sure he wouldn't mind an opportunity to sleep through the night.

"Oh! Bobby, what was that movie that John really liked?" Marie asked enthusiastically. She hardly acted like this around Remy, and Bobby was thankful he hadn't shown so she could be hyper and bubbly for a while.

"Pride and Prejudice?"

"Yeah! The one with the really good looking bastard." Kitty said, smiling.

"The chick flick." said Pitor, "I'm sure Pietro'll _love_ that." He said, rolling his eyes.

"That's the point." Marie chimed in. "He'll fall asleep, and then Bobby'll have John all to himself."

"Sounds like a plan to me." Warren confirmed.

"No, no, no, no. We are not doing this. It'll never work. Suppose he doesn't want Kitty to take Mackenzie, and how're we gonna get him to watch the movie?"

"Oh! I'll talk to June and Jubes. The three of us and Marie can have a girl's night and say Mackenzie is one of the girls so she has to come."

"Good idea." Marie smiled, "I wish I had thought of it."

"And I can watch the movie, then let him know and ask him to join and the leave." Pitor offered.

"Alright then." I shall supply the beer, I guess." Warren said, standing and leaving the table.

--

"_Then when shall I call your Mr. Darcy?" ask's Mr Darcy, looking confused. Elizabeth smiles, "Only when you are inconceivably and incandescently happy." Darcy leans over whispers the same thing over and over, punctuating it each time with a kiss, "Mrs. Darcy... Mrs. Darcy... Mrs. Darcy..." _

John mouthed every word, smiling as he did so, but looked up when he heard another voice. "Hey, John." Bobby leaned on the door frame, holding up a twelve pack of beer, "One night for old times?" He offers, smiling relaxedly. John smiles and shuts off the TV,

"Yeah, just let me put him in his room."


	9. Selfish

1Title: Further Down the Road (9/10)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says, Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): R

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Mackenzie is made up by me. Song: "Where I Stood" By Missy Higgins. And there's a couple quotes from Velvet Goldmine in here.

--

"Yeah. I remember." John laughed after taking another sip of his beer. "God, she was so slutty back then.

"It didn't help that she wasn't getting any from you."

"Well, I'm sorry that I was desperately trying to be straight."

There was a long silence. John was smiling as Bobby lay next to him on his bed. Bobby smiled too, feeling suddenly nostalgic.

"Did you really leave because I wouldn't dump her?"

"I told you I would." John said, shifting to face Bobby.

"I know, but I didn't expect you to."

"Bobby, when I first said I told you, after Jubilee told everyone, you laughed it off and counted it as another effect of this disorder I'm stuck with. After that you used me, for a long time. The only thing I was to you was a fuck buddy, your dirty little secret, didn't you think there was at least a chance of me being even a little upset?" John raised an eyebrow.

"I wasn't thinking of it at the time." Bobby frowned, rolling to his side to look at John as well.

"That's exactly it; you were only thinking of yourself."

"John, I really wish you wouldn't–"

"Wouldn't what, Bobby? Tell you the ugly truth that you never saw, or, what's worse, refused to look at?"

"I didn't bring you here to fight."

"Then what _did_ you bring me here for? I don't believe that you just wanted to catch up on old times."

There was a long silence, Bobby searched John's eyes for what the other was expecting him to say, John searched for the suspected ultimatum.

"Does Pietro make you happy?"

"I asked you first. Unless, that's what you brought me here for? Let me guess; you don't approve of me dating someone seven years younger than me?"

"That's not it, I just wanted to make sure..."

"Awww, that's cute, you're pretending to care." John smirked and sat his empty can on the night stand.

"Well, do you?"

"He takes care of me."

"But does he make you happy?"

"Yes."

"Are you in love with him?" John paused at this and looked lost, as if he didn't understand.

"Do you love Warren?"

"What? How did he come into this? "

"Just answer the question."

"I'll answer when you answer my question."

"God, you're stubborn."

"You're one to talk." John shifted again, they were laying close enough to feel each other's breath, but neither felt inclined to move. "Well, what if I don't wanna tell you?"

"Well, I'm not exactly inclined to answer either, but you're gonna have to tell me if you wanna find out." John but his lip, thinking it over.

"But I'm not sure_ I_ really wanna know."

"On three?" Bobby offered, John sighed,

"I guess."

"One."

"Two."

"Three."

"No." They both said quietly, Bobby stared at John, John stared back.

"Not the answer I was expecting." Bobby said after a moment

"Shut the fuck up."

"John, don't get upset. Just because it's not what I was expecting doesn't mean..." Bobby trailed off, stopping himself before he said something he didn't mean. Maybe it was the alcohol; He was tipsy, affecting his judgment.

"Doesn't mean what?" Bobby giggled slightly,

"Forget it, it's really cheesy."

"No, now I really wanna know."

"It doesn't mean that the answer was unwelcome." Silence again, a smile slowly crept onto John's lips,

"If you're shitting me, Bobby, I swear..." Bobby didn't say anything, he was smiling now too, but he shook his head, only slightly, then giggled again.

"I should probably stop drinking now." he rolled toward John, burying his face in John's favorite pillow, his side pressed against John's body. He could feel the heat of his friend's body against his own cold skin.

"You always were a lightweight," He reached to Bobby's neck and touched the back of Bobby's soft hair, "But I probably should too..." he almost whispered, gently stroking Bobby's neck. Bobby turned his head and John pulled his hand away, they locked eyes, and after a moment John laughed, "God, I must be drunk." He laughed, laying on his back and laughing more. Bobby started laughing again, too, then wriggled closer. So close, in fact, that he was pressed up against John firmly.

John didn't know how to react to the more intimate, and obviously intentional contact. He was surprised at how easy it would be to give everything up for one night with Bobby. But it scared him. What would happen in the morning? Would Pietro find out and hate him? Would Bobby call it a drunken mistake? Would he be left all alone? Images flashed through his head. Sitting alone, against the wall on a bare mattress, quietly wasting away his days with his laptop only for company, working another job that he hated. He didn't want that; he couldn't...

Bobby had moved again, but now his weight was fully resting on John and they wee kissing. John moaned slightly, partially because he wasn't used to feeling someone heavier than himself on top of him, and partially because Bobby's lips were son cold, but mostly because it was just _Bobby_.

More images, but this time they were memories. Memories of times when, if Bobby merely kissed him, he'd be ready to die. Times when Bobby's cold but gentle hand running down his arm was enough alone to get him hard. When he couldn't go shirtless for most of the summer because of all the marks Bobby left on his arms and torso. When Bobby easily lost control of his powers and formed ice over his skin that was enough to make him squirm in delight. When playful bedroom wrestling matches easily turned to something more.

But they never kissed, and gentle touches were rare. Those marks faded and the ice would melt. And Bobby had never been one for wrestling anyway.

And now they _were _kissing. What had started out a pure affection was quickly becoming more lustful and passionate. John pushed against Bobby's chest firmly and Bobby took the hint, pulling away, waiting for an explanation.

"Bobby, we can't do this." He said, turning away from Bobby's hurting gaze.

"Johnny..."

"Don't fucking call me that!" John said, feeling a sudden rush of anger as he pushed the ice mutant off of him, then stood up, walking across the room. "We're not sixteen anymore." He said, quieter now as he ran a hand through his hair. Bobby stood now, too.

"John, then. I know this sounds cliche, but could you at least tell me what you want? Don't think about Pietro, or me, or Kenzie, only yourself. Be selfish."

"I don't want to be alone."

"I didn't ask you what you don't want."

"I don't fucking know, Bobby!" John was getting irritated again,

"John!" Bobby yelled, knowing that John would go on like this until someone yelled back. It was they way things had always been. Sometimes, he needs a good smack in the face, whether literal or figurative, and he knew he needed it.

"Sorry." John looked away, sighing. "Selfish, huh?" he said, looking at Bobby with a mocking sort of laugh, "It's been a while since I thought about what I want."

"Maybe it's time you did." Bobby moved closer to John tentatively, and upon receiving no objection, he moved so that they were very close again. They stood like that for a moment, before John turned and kissed Bobby again. Bobby moved his hands to the brown buttons on John's blue and brown striped shirt and easily opened the top one, smiling as their lips parted. John was smiling too, and looked somewhat relieved, Bobby grabbed his wrist and pulled him back onto the bed swiftly.

"Christ, Bobby..." John breathed as Bobby continued to fumble with the bottons hastily. John heard the thread snap on one of them and smirked when he hard Bobby mutter,

"Shit." and then a cold feeling against his stomach. John pushed Bobby back and tossed the button that had came off into the floor and removed his shirt over his head, knowing there was no way to get his shirt off the other way, now that Bobby had frozen it. Then Bobby was on him, kissing again and John smiled into the kiss, letting Bobby push him back again forcefully.


	10. Gone

1Title: Further Down the Road (Final!)

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says, Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): PG-13

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Mackenzie is made up by me.

Note: I know I mentioned that Eden was the sister that died, but because it bugs me, Mary is the sister that died, not Eden. And I didn't proofread this chapter. Sorry.

--

John was gone. Actually, he probably should have expected it, knowing it was John, and his... No. The last time he blamed it on a disorder, John left. But this time, he had left _before_ he had mentioned said disorder. What had he done wrong this time?

Either way, his absence had hung in the room like smoke, the same way it had six years earlier when Bobby returned from Alkali. When he woke up this morning, Bobby knew something was wrong as he laid in John's bed, on John's favorite pillow, but the other mutant wasn't gone. He knew John well enough to know that John would move him to his own bed sometime in the middle of the night, he always had.

Bobby sat quietly, surrounded by the excess of pillows and blankets that John insisted he have and buried his face in his palms. He maneuvered out of the tangle of two comforters and put on his boxers after picking them up from the floor, then reached for his jeans and pulled them on.

--

"Daddy?"

_I'm not your Dad._ "Yes, Mackenzie?" John sighed. He'd been driving for hours and was only in Maryland, not even halfway to Florida.

"I gotta potty." Said the girl from the back seat on the passenger side as she held her monkey.

"Alright." John spoke, pulling into the first rest stop he got to and moved around the car to get her out. After they left the men's room, He got her a happy meal from McDonald's and got himself yet another cup of coffee and returned to his truck. He sat Mackenzie next to her car seat and told her to eat while he took out his cell phone and dialed his sister's number. "Hey Eden...yeah, I'm fine... Yeah, she's doing great... In a second, I want you to... Yeah... Actually, I called because I'm heading down there... Yes, to Florida... something happened in New York... Well, I can drive until about nine tonight, and I guess I'll start at five, so I should be able to get there by five tomorrow, with any luck... Yeah, I'll be fine driving all day. A few cigarettes and a hell of a lot more coffee, I can do it... "I'll call you when we stop tonight... Alright, here. Hey, before I let her talk, do you mind if we stay with you until I find a place?... Alright.. Okay. Here." He spoke into the phone, then handed the phone to Mackenzie, "It's Aunt Eden, she wants to talk to you." He said before moving tot he drivers seat and putting his coffee in the cupholder as the child spoke into the phone.

--

Bobby seated himself in the seat between Jubilee and Pietro where John normally sat at meals. "Where is he?"

"Whatareyoutalkingabout?" Pietro asked, giving Bobby a funny look as he stuffed his mouth with another spoonful of cereal.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about." Bobby snapped, Pietro jumped and scooted closer to June, who sat on the other side of him.

"No I don't." Pietro practically growled. Bobby lurched toward the student threateningly with an iced fist, causing Pietro to jump back more, falling onto June,

"Hey!" June yelled, standing up as he glass of water spilled into her lap.

"Bobby." Jubilee warned as he grabbed Bobby's arm. "Stop it. He doesn't know.

"Yeah, coolit,man." Pietro said in his defense.

"What has gotten into you, Bobby?" Jubilee asked, standing up and pulling Bobby out of the cafeteria. "Bobby, what happened?"

"He's gone."

"Well, I got that."

"Then what do you want?"

"He came into our room around three and woke me up. He said he was taking Mackenzie. I don't know here he's going or where he is now. I called him this morning but he ignored it." She said, shaking her head. "My guess is that he went back to Baltimore, but I can't be sure, and if you want to say anything to him, leave him a voicemail before he changes his number."

--

John glanced to the back seat and noticed that Mackenzie had fallen asleep and didn't look like she would wake up any time soon, so he turned up the radio to drown out the sound of passing cars. Then a loud jingle rang throughout the car from his cell phone, waking up Mackenzie. He had a new voicemail. Mackenzie quirmed as he picked up his phone and put in is pin number, before listening.

"You have four messages. New messages. Message from number 654-555-0945. Listen now?" Came the mechanical voice, John pushed the green button on his phone. He knew it was Bobby, and he felt strangely angry, but also a little excited.

"Daddy?"

_I'm NOT your dad!_ "Just a minute, Kenzie." John said as he listened to the mechanical voice again.

"Message received at Three: forty seven (3:47) PM."

There was a fuzzy noise on the message, of which John assumed was a sight and then a weary voice. "John... I guess this is my fault... again. But, um, I don't know where you're going, so I don't know how long it'll be before I talk to you, so I'm gonna say all I think needs to be said now. Buckle your seatbelt, eat healthy, remember I'm here if you need me, and Mackenzie looks up to you. Little pitchers have big ears and sunshine is good for you. Work hard at everything you do and treat others how you want to be treated. I love you, and don't be afraid to call anytime, day or night, if you ever need me. Eat five fruits and veggies a day and drink eight glasses of water a day. Umm… I don't know what else to say. But I love you, and take care of yourself." Bobby said, his voice was unsteady and he chuckled at the end "God, I can't believe I said all that." Was muttered quietly, and John wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear it or not.

"Johnny? You still there?" it was Jubilee's voice now and she sounded cheerful. "It's me, um, make sure you eat well, because I'm not there to get your meals for you, and make sure you take good care of Kenzie, because you really are her father. I don't have much to say. You can count on me too, if you ever need me. Don't be so hard on yourself, you're not a bad guy. Believe me when I say that you deserve better than you think. Say Hi to your sister, because I can only assume that's where you're going. Oh! One more thing. Please call Pietro, he's not acting upset, he's just... detached, a little frantic. Let him know you're okay. And call me back, you might be interested in what Bobby did when he found out you were gone." She chuckled slightly and there was a beep.

The line went dead with a soft humming dial tone, then the mechanical voice came back, "Save message? To save, press seven, to return call, press three, to erase message, press one." John easily pushed seven, unsure of whether to call back or not. Regardless, he ended his voicemail call and his speed dial two, Pietro's number.

--

Bobby found it hard sleeping that night. The room was uncomfortably silent, without the gentle wheeze of John's breathing or the slight static of his MP3 player coaxing the other man into sleep.

Why hadn't he stayed angry at John? Why had he let himself trust John when he showed up with an underage boyfriend? Why did he let himself fall for John? Why did he tell Warren? Why did he listen to Warren? Why did he come on to John, just the night before?

Why had John have sex with him last night? Why hadn't John called him back? Why did John run away again? Where was John going? Would he ever see or hear from him again?

Bobby rolled over and Hugged the fake down pillow and snuggled further into sheets that still smelled like John, trying to force himself to fall asleep.

--

"Johnny!" Eden moved around the small counter quickly toward her younger brother. "You're earlier than I expected."

"I'm glad. I am so tired of driving."

"Well, let me help you get out the stuff you need to stay here. You're gonna stay in Mary's old room, but Mackenzie's gonna have to share with you or me because the new part timer is in the other spare room. There's a kitchen, bathroom, living room, and two bedrooms up on the third floor, and a storeroom converted bedroom on the second, so we have a full house. Have you thought about getting a job down here too? My god, I'm babbling, sorry." She shook her head as they headed outside to John's truck.

"I'm gonna have to get a job If I'm gonna get an apartment somewhere. I don't think I wanna go back to teaching though."

"Well, I am a little short handed without Mary..."

"Eden, I'm afraid of sewing machines, I can't make costumes for you."

"No, but you _could_ run the store for me while _I_ make costumes."

"How much are you paying?" John asked as they carried all six parts of Mackenzie's crib up the three flights of stairs with a limited amount of struggling

"Well, how's a roof over your head and food in your mouths? It's a little crowded, but If you can pull your weight around here, it's definitely okay with me."

"You sure?"

"Of corse! You're my brother, Johnny, you're always welcome here!" John smiled and hugged her as they reached the first floor once again.

"What would I do without you?"

"God only knows." Replied Eden. She and John were nearly identical, except for the whole male/female thing.

"Hey, Eden, where'd you put that new prop commission?"

"Damien, this is my little brother, John."

"Hi!" The newly arrived male waved ecstatically "I'm Damien." He said in a voice that was a mixture of hyper childishness and flamboyancy. He was tall, skinny, wore a tee shirt that wasn't too loose, but was just tight enough to look cute, and blue jeans with doodles and writing all over them, to top it all off he was wearing black cat ears. John looked him up and down twice and extended a hand to shake,

"Nice to meet you." he said with a devious smirk. Eden watched him and smacked him up side the head.

"Stop cruising the part timer! He's too young for you." John shook his head in sesbelif, his jaw dropped even though he was grinning.

"Hey! My last boyfriend was sixteen!" Damien turned and left, John watched him go as Kenzie tugged on his jeans, "What is it?"

"What can I do?" Mackenzie had gotten into the habit of wanting to help with EVERYTHING.

"Kenzie, why don't you come car Mr. Jungle upstairs?" John offered, glancing at Damien again and heading back out to his truck.

--

Well, that's all! I might do an epilogue, like, six months. A year later. But that's probably it. Thanks for reading, and if you have any requests for me to do a deleted scene or whatever related to this story, lemme know, and I'll be sure to try it for you.


	11. Patience

1Title: Further Down the Road (Final!) Part Two, Apparently.

Pairing: John/Pietro, John/Bobby, other minor pairs

Summary: As the title says, Both John and Bobby have grown up quite a bit. Humans are hunting mutants; John takes refuge at the mansion with his (much younger) boyfriend.

Rating (Chapter): PG-13

Warnings: I'll try my best to stay in character, and I'll try not to make the story too far fetched.

Disclaimer: John, Pietro, Bobby, and all respective characters belong to Marvel. Mackenzie is made up by me.

Note: because I had so many of you dissatisfied, I'm putting a part two on the final chapter. It'll probably be short, but it should fix some stuff.

--

John had never changed the number on his phone. Considering that, it shouldn't have come as a surprise to him when he had seven missed calls from Pietro, though it did. It left him wondering if he had purposefully neglected to answer them or if his phone was on silent, but he couldn't remember. He knew he should call the teen back,. But a she pondered this, sitting next to Mackenzie's half-assembled crib, the phone began to ring again. He immediately recognized Bobby's number, and though he hesitated to pick it up, he hit the green button anyway and slowly move the phone to his ear, "Hello?" There was a long, almost silent pause, "Bobby. I can hear you breathing. Talk, dumbass." He sighed as he reached for the screwdriver and cradled the phone between his ear and his shoulder.

"Sorry, John. I don't remember what I wanted to say."

"I got your message."

"Oh? Good."

"Bobby… Is there something you called me for?" John switched to kneel and put another large piece on the crib, grunting a he changed position.

"Why did you leave?" John sighed, unsure of how to answer,

"I was scared."

"Then it was because of me?"

"There's more to it than that."

"But it was."

"Bobby, stop blaming yourself." John dropped the assembled side on his foot, "Shit…"

"You okay?"

"Trying to put a crib together."

"John, I wouldn't have left you."

"Never said you would have."

"Stop being a dick. You were scared that Pietro would have found out and left you, and then I would have left you too." Bobby snapped. John remained silent. "John, I've known you since we were thirteen. You can't just keep running away whenever you get scared."

"Mackenzie's better off here anyway, with Eden." John bit his lip, hoping Bobby wouldn't notice that he'd just told him where he went."

"She was just fine here! John, just because I was drinking before I slept with you doesn't make it a drunken mistake." John heard a sound on the other end of the line he couldn't quite make out.

"Bobby, you don't understand."

"John, I think I do,"

"Bobby, I was in love with you. You denied it and blamed it on me being fucking crazy! Well, now you know how I felt."

"So this is about getting back at me?"

"No... maybe... Christ, Bobby, I don't know."

"Come home, John."

"Bobby, hat place has never been home to me."

"Everyone wants to know where you are. Your students are disappointed because you're the only sign teacher in school."

"They survived that long without me." John said, referring to he time before he had arrived, almost two months ago.

"We _all_ miss you. Especially Pietro, June, Jubilee, and I. We know you belong here." John could hear voices in the background.

"Bobby, I can't."

"Fine, if you can't come back, we'll find you and show you that we want you back." There was a click, then a dial tone. John sighed as he finally finished assembling the crib.

--

Bobby sat the phone down on the hard wood floor in the middle of the circle he had formed with Jubilee, Pietro, and June. "I tried."

"Maybe we should go find him." June said, using her powers on a paper crane she had just made, letting it fly about the room, flapping it's wings.

"Where do you suppose we look?" Pietro offered, "We could go back to our old apartment in Baltimore." Jubilee smiled,

"Weren't you listening. He told you he was with Eden."

"No he didn't."

"Yeah he did. He said Mackenzie was better off there with Eden."

"Yeah, but wouldn't it just upset him more if we actually went to find him?" Bobby muttered, watching the paper crane.

"Bobby, you've known John better and longer than any of us. Do you think He'll be upset?"June asked insightfully. Bobby remained silent.

"Well, then. Bobby, if you decide let me know. I think It'd be good if we all went if you do go." Jubilee said, shaking her head as he left the room before Bobby could protest. Pietro and June were soon to follow, leaving Bobby alone on the floor with the cell phone that sat before him.

"Do you really want to see me ever again?" Bobby asked, staring at the phone. There was silence. "Didn't think so." He concluded, getting up and tossing the phone on his bed.

--

In truth, John didn't know why he left. Something told him that it was necessary that he left, and he wasn't regretting it yet. But he knew Bobby, and Bobby knew him. Bobby should have known that John really wanted him to come and tell him to come home. To tell him that he was stupid for running away again and that he belonged at the mansion. But he wasn't sure if Bobby would. So he could wait.

And he waited.

--

Note: I hope that's better!


	12. Epilogue

1Title: Further Down the Road (Epilogue)

Pairing: John/Bobby, John/OC

Summary: 13 Years pass after John leaves the mansion for a second time.

Rating (Chapter): G

Note :I originally had almost six pages written, but then I got tired of it and just made this little list. So here's what happened, if anyone's interested. Also, I still have the epilogue partially wrote, if you want that.

Note: There's also a picture of John's new house. :D I made it all by myself, and it's a fine job, if I may say so.

--

i3./albums/y64/Gravitationkid/johnhouse.jpg

--

Three tears after John leaves, he moves to Baltimore City, MD

Five years after he leaves, he meets a mutant woman, Kendra, whose power is to see emotions. She has twin sons that are two years old, their names are Cain and Liam. John marries Kendra

Nine months after their marriage, Kendra has their first child, Natalie.

Three years after Natalie is born, Kendra gives birth to Trevor, she and John don't intend to have anymore children.

Two years after that they have Alyssa, and two more years after that Kendra gets pregnant... again. She has triplets on the way- Shantay, Zach, and Rachel.

Kitty and Pete got Married and had two children Lacey and Kyle.

Thirteen years after John leaves, Bobby and Kitty come to visit him to tell him that Mackenzie, Cain and Liam are Mutants.

Mackenzie has something of a mutant green thumb, she can manipulate organic material. Cain and Liam are telepaths. The three leave for Xavier's School.

Bobby became a teacher at the school, and owns every single one of John's novels.

Just for reference, Wehn Mackenzie enrolls in the school everyone's ages are:

John- 36

Kendra- 34

Mackenzie- 15

Cain, Liam- 9

Natalie- 7

Trevor- 4

Alyssa- 2

Shantay, Zach, Rachel- Newborn

Bobby- 37

Kitty- 37

Pitor- 38

Lacey- 7

Kyle- 3


End file.
